EC to Call all party Meeting To Clear Doubts on EVM: CEC Nasim Zaidi

Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi on Wednesday announced that presidential poll would be held on July 17.

New Delhi: The Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi said on Saturday that the Election Commission will soon call an all party meeting to assure that the electronic voting machines (EVMs) are tamper-proof and secured.

"We will soon hold an all party meeting in which they will be told how our EVMs are non-tamperable and secured as per our administrative and technical safeguard system," the Zaidi told media in New Delhi.

[blurb]The commission intends to use Voter- Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) in all coming elections to bring in more transparency and boosting the confidence of people in the electoral process, PTI quoted Zaidi as saying.[/blurb]

The CEC was responding to questions about allegations levelled by various political parties against EVMs.

Notably, sixteen opposition parties had urged the Election Commission to revert to ballot paper system to conduct elections, claiming the faith of the people in EVMs had been âerodedâ.

Zaidi also said that the ECI is planning to âhold a challengeâ for which time frame is being worked out.

The electoral body is planning to throw an open challenge, asking anyone to try hacking its EVMs to dispel doubts of any misuse, it is learnt.

The CEC also said that the ECI had placed an order for the supply of VVPAT machines for use in elections.

[blurb]"For VVPAT, we have got all the funds. We have placed an order for the supply of 15 lakh VVPAT with two PSUs Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Electronic Corporation of India (ECI)," Zaidi said.[/blurb]

Zaidi also said it is expected that by September 2018, around 15 lakh VVPAT machines will be ready.

The Commission's objective is to use VVPATs in all the coming elections, he said.

India will "perhaps" be the first country where VVPAT will be used 100 per cent at all the poling stations. It will boost voters' confidence and will bring more transparency in the election process, he added.

Zaidi said that an awareness campaign will be launched to create awareness about the benefits of VVPAT.

VVPAT generates a receipt allowing voters to verify that the the vote went in favour of the candidate against whose name the button was pressed on the EVM.

After the Assembly elections earlier this year in five states -- Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab and Manipur, many political parties raised their voice against the use of EVMs.